Agenda and draft minutes

Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley Local Area Committee - Tuesday, 19th March, 2024 6.00 pm

Venue: Netherton Social Club, 1a Netherton Lane, Bedlington, NE22 6DP

Contact: Heather Bowers 

Items
No. Item

64.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Flux, Robinson, and Wilczek.

65.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 140 KB

Minutes of the meeting of the Cramlington, Bedlington & Seaton Valley Local Area Committee held on 20 February 2024 as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cramlington, Bedlington & Seaton Valley Local Area Committee held on Wednesday, 20 February 2024 as circulated, be confirmed as a true record, and be signed by the Chair.

66.

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

To reply to any questions received from members of the public, which may be received in writing in advance of the meeting or asked at the meeting.  Questions can be asked about issues for which the Council has a responsibility.  If questions are received in advance of meetings it will increase the likelihood of an answer being provided at the meeting. (Public question times take place on a bimonthly basis at Local Area Committee meetings: in January, March, May, July, September and November each year.).

 

As agreed by the County Council in February 2012, the management of local public question times is at the discretion of the Chair of the committee.

 

Please note however that a question may possibly be rejected if it requires the disclosure of any categories of confidential or exempt information, namely information:

 

  1. relating to any individual;
  1. which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual;
  1. relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person;
  1. relating to any labour relations matters/negotiations;
  1. restricted to legal proceedings;
  1. about enforcement/enacting legal orders;
  1. relating to the prevention, investigation of prosecution of crime.

 

And/or:

 

  • is defamatory, frivolous or offensive;
  • it is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of this or another County Council committee in the past six months;
  • the request repeats an identical or very similar question from the same person;
  • the cost of providing an answer is disproportionate;
  • it is being separately addressed through the Council's complaints process;
  • it is not about a matter for which the Council has a responsibility or which affects the county;
  • it relates to planning, licensing and/or other regulatory applications;
  • it is a question that town/parish councils would normally be expected to raise through other channels.

 

If the Chair is of the opinion that a question is one which, for whatever reason, cannot properly be asked in an area meeting, he/she will disallow it and inform the resident of his/her decision.

 

Copies of any written answers (without individuals' personal contact details) will be provided for members after the meeting and also be publicly available.

 

Democratic Services will confirm the status of the progress on any previously requested written answers and follow up any related actions requested by the Local Area Committee.

Minutes:

A Hogg, West Bedlington Town Council raised the following questions: 

 

1)       Does the Council know how long it would be before another contractor would be found to resume work on the Bedlington Town Centre project? 

 

The Chair stated that notification had only been received recently and another contractor would be appointed to complete the 2nd phase of the project. Advance and NCC remained committed, and the situation would be assessed. Discussion had been ongoing with the new contractor to resume works as soon as possible. 

 

2)       Was there a date for the 20 mph speeds signs on the B1331? 

 

Neil Snowdon, Highways Programme Manager stated that this was in hand with the Streetlighting Team.

67.

LOCAL SERVICES UPDATE

To receive a verbal update from the Area Managers from Technical Services and Neighbourhood Services in attendance about any key recent, ongoing and/or future planned Local Services work for the attention of members of the Local Area Committee, who will also then have the opportunity to raise issues with the Area Managers. 

 

The Area Managers have principal responsibility for highway services and environmental services, such as refuse collection, street cleansing and grounds maintenance, within the geographic boundaries of the Local Area Committee.

Minutes:

Tony Gribbin gave the following updates: 

 

NEAT – Grounds Maintenance 

 

  • NEAT teams had been working through the winter season which was now coming to an end. 
  • Programmes had been affected due to the wet weather season and waiting on replacement parts for equipment to be supplied. 
  • The winter season had affected the footpath edging. Teams had attempted to access areas, but many had proven to be too wet. 
  • Hedge cutting programme had also been affected, and the delays in the delivery of new equipment had meant that not all hedge cutting had been completed before the bird nesting season. 
  • If there were periods throughout the grass cutting season where work was suspended, staff would be deployed onto footpath edging. 
  • Respective area programmes would be shared with members. 
  • Members to email with any areas of concern. 

 

Winter Maintenance 

 

  • There had not been too many prolonged snow events throughout the winter season and where there were such events, would be responded to, as necessary. 
  • There would be a review of priority 1 and 2 footpaths in readiness for the winter season next year.

 

Grass cutting 

 

  • Teams were preparing for 2024 season. 
  • Machines were being serviced, with a couple still to be returned. 
  • Target cuts for the coming year: 10-13 Cramlington/Bedlington and 16-20 in Seaton Valley. 
  • Last season had been challenging and this year had started as equally challenging. 
  • It was hoped to commence grass cutting in March, but the ground was still too wet.  Once there was a confirmed date, members would be advised. 

 

Street cleansing 

 

  • Mechanical sweepers continued being deployed. As they became older, several mechanical issues had been faced in keeping them on the road. Working with colleagues in the transport section. 
  • Please bring any areas in need to Team’s attention. 
  • The team in Bereavement Services was working well and preparing for commencement of grass cutting and weed treatment programmes. 
  • The crematorium was working well, and any programmed maintenance had been undertaken. 

 

Waste Services 

 

  • Other than a few minor breakdowns, staffing shortages. Residual recycling and garden waste collection services were all operating well. 
  • Garden waste Services collection had just resumed across the county. 
  • Teams would continue to review existing collection rounds in order to cope with ongoing housing growth as well as continued growth in take up of the garden waste service. 

 

In response to members’ questions, the following information was provided: 

 

  • Hedge cutting was carried out manually and machines borrowed from another section. 
  • Mr Gribbin to look at hedge along the railway line along Kentmere Close. 
  • Notifications had gone out for the garden bins. The figures on whether there was more uptake of the bins would be investigated. 
  • Mr Gribbin noted the comment regarding the woodpile at St Cuthbert’s Church, Bedlington 
  • Flail grass cutters were being used and would be continued to be used in the future. 
  • There was no capacity to increase cuts in Cramlington. 
  • Small pedestrian sweepers were bought through the Fleet Team. The supply of vehicles was a challenge across the industry. 
  • There were no additional  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

68.

PETITIONS pdf icon PDF 2 MB

This item is to: 

 

  1. Receive any new petitions: to receive any new petitions.  The lead petitioner is entitled to briefly introduce their petition by providing a statement in writing, and a response to any petitions received will then be organised for a future meeting; 

 

  1. Consider reports on petitions previously received. 

 

Zebra Crossing on Stead Lane, Bedlington for the safety of children. 

 

  1. Receive any updates on petitions for which a report was previously considered: any updates will be verbally reported at the meeting.

 

Minutes:

Zebra Crossing on Stead Lane, Bedlington 

 

Julia Masters, Lead Petitioner was in attendance to speak on the petition. 

 

She had lived on Stead Lane for 12 years which was a primary traffic route into and out of Bedlington with direct access to the A189 Spine Road, north and south, with both light and heavy vehicles. Over that time, the volume and speed at which traffic travelled along the road had increased. 

 

Some traffic calming measures had been introduced in the form of a 20-mph zone indicated by flashing lights either end of the zone during school start/end of the day and in her observations the traffic calming measures were ineffective, situated in the wrong place and should be sited further up Stead Lane towards the school. The lights flashed at the wrong times which meant they were ignored by drivers and often obscured at the Elenbel Avenue end by a large camper van parked on the roadside.  The flashing lights did not provide enough of a deterrent to drivers to reduce their speed. 

 

Mrs Masters requested that a zebra crossing was put in place where there were already dropped kerbs, linking in Poplar Grove to Terrier Close to allow for safer crossing. This would provide a more visible and hopefully effective traffic calming measure, with the expectation that drivers would adhere to the Highway Code and stop to allow pedestrian traffic to get to Stead Lane School, Bedlington Academy, and access to the local shops at The Oval. 

 

She explained that this would not just be for the safety of children (although they were the main concern) but also to help the elderly who lived in the bungalows at Poplar Grove and those with mobility issues who took longer to cross the road than others. 

 

Neil Snowdon, Highways Programme Officer referred to report and stated that a survey had been completed on 28 February. The result had been 0.07 therefore, the necessary criteria had not been met.  The minimum requirement was 0.2 however, this was a local requirement specific to Northumberland, which was more generous than the nationally recommended 0.5. 

 

A speed survey had been carried out in January 2023, however it had been  

undertaken further to the east of the location of the requested zebra crossing.  The average speed recorded for east bound vehicles was 28.7mph with an 85th percentile of 34.2mph. For westbound vehicles, the average speed recorded was 27.4mph with an 85th percentile of 31.6mph.  Based on the data from the survey, that did not meet the necessary criteria for enforcement. 

 

Mr Snowdon reported that there had been a couple of accidents in the last five years with two slight personal injury collisions in the vicinity where the zebra crossing had been requested. Based on the description of the collisions, they appeared to be one off incidents, potentially caused deliberately. 

 

No further action was proposed in relation to the requested crossing; however, the school would be contacted to offer appropriate road safety training.  

 

The flashing ambers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

69.

WORK SMART LIVE WELL

To receive a presentation -  Work Smart Live Well, a partnership approach to employment and skills information, advice and guidance for residents.

Minutes:

Members were informed of a new employment concept which would bring opportunities in supporting residents who were looking for employment. 

  

The Employment and Skills Hub was a partnership approach to local delivery providing access to high quality information, advice, guidance, and training to engage residents in a personalised holistic approach. 

 

The three key goals were to develop and deliver a co-created Employment and Skills Hub for residents; improve the quality of residents’ lives through access to opportunities for learning and skills and employment support; bringing together residents and employers by providing services to strengthen employment outcomes across all age groups. 

  

Target audiences were age 16+, working age; resident in Northumberland; unemployed, economically inactive; low paid, casual, minimum, and zero-hour contract workers. 

 

The structure was to use networks and marketing to promote and engage residents; meet residents to discuss purpose of visit; triage support and deliver provision. 

 

The service would be delivered weekly to the community as a cohesive offer for residents in one place, offering support that linked in with employment, such as employment programmes, training provision and support services.  A Steering Group would develop a delivery schedule and themed weeks at Cramlington Hub which was the pilot location. 

 

Upcoming themes for the year would be delivered via Padlet. 

 

Members raised issues regarding accessibility, reaching audiences and engagement. The committee was informed that programme was not 100% funded and an internal evaluation would be carried out. 

  

Officers were asked to report back to the committee once the project had been more embedded. 

 

RESOLVED that the presentation be received.

70.

LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 179 KB

To note the latest version of agreed items for future Local Area Committee meetings (any suggestions for new agenda items will require confirmation by the Chairman of Council after the meeting).

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the work programme be noted. 

 

The issue of trees was requested as a further agenda item.

71.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next Local Area Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday 29 May, 2024.

Minutes:

Wednesday 29 May 2024.